Method and Apparatus for Authenticated Network Address Allocation

1. A computer implemented method in a data processing system for providing addresses to clients, the computer implemented method comprising: receiving a request from a client for an address, wherein the request comprises a unique client identifier and authentication information, and wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a pass phrase and a digital certificate; determining whether the authentication information is present in the request; responsive to determining that the authentication information is present in the request, performing a verification process on the authentication information to authenticate the request; responsive to authenticating the request, checking a privileged address table to determine whether a privileged address is assigned to the client, wherein the privileged address is a static internet protocol address in a pool of privileged addresses stored in a memory of the data processing system; responsive to determining that the privileged address is assigned to the client, assigning the previously assigned privileged address to the client to form a previously assigned privileged address and sending an offer to the client, wherein the offer comprises the previously assigned privileged address and the authentication information; and responsive to determining that the privileged address is not assigned to the client, assigning a unassigned privileged address, from the pool of privileged addresses, to the client to form an assigned privileged address and sending the offer to the client, wherein the offer comprises the assigned privileged address and the authentication information.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising responsive to the authentication information being unverified, denying the request.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising responsive to the authentication information being unauthenticated, providing a standard address to the client.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the previously assigned privileged address is identical to a previous privileged address that was previously provided to the client in response to a previously received request from the client.

5. A computer implemented method in a data processing system for assigning addresses to clients, the computer implemented method comprising: sending a request for a privileged address to a server from a client, wherein the request comprises: a unique client identifier and authentication information, wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a pass phrase and a digital certificate, wherein the server performs a verification process on the authentication information to authenticate the request, and wherein the privileged address is a static internet protocol address in a pool of privileged addresses; receiving an offer from the server, wherein the offer comprises a privileged address and authentication information; determining whether the offer is authentic; and responsive to determining that the offer is authentic, accepting the offer.

6. A data processing system for providing addresses to clients, the data processing system comprising: a bus system; a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; a communications adaptor connected to the bus system; and a processor unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processor unit executes the set of instructions to receive a request from a client for an address, wherein the request comprises a unique client identifier and authentication information, and wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a pass phrase and a digital certificate; determine whether the authentication information is present in the request; perform a verification process on the authentication information to authenticate the request, responsive to determining that the authentication information is present in the request; check a privileged address table to determine whether a privileged address is assigned to the client, wherein the privileged address is a static internet protocol address in a pool of privileged addresses stored in a memory of the data processing system, responsive to authenticating the request; assign the previously assigned privileged address to the client to form a previously assigned privileged address and sending means for sending an offer to the client, wherein the offer comprises the previously assigned privileged address and the authentication information, responsive to determining that the privileged address is assigned to the client; and assign the privileged address, from the pool of privileged addresses to form an assigned privileged address, to the client and sending means for sending an offer to the client, wherein the offer comprises the assigned privileged address and the authentication information, responsive to determining that the privileged address is not assigned to the client.

7. The data processing system of claim 6 , wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to denying the request, responsive to the authentication information being unverified.

8. The data processing system of claim 6 , wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to provide a standard address to the client, responsive to the authentication information being unauthenticated.

9. The data processing system of claim 6 , wherein the previously assigned privileged address is identical to a previous privileged address that was previously provided to the client in response to a previously received request from the client.

10. A data processing system for assigning addresses to clients, the data processing system comprising: a bus s stem; a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; a communications adaptor connected to the bus system; and a processor unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processor unit executes the set of instructions to send a request for a privileged address to a server from a client, wherein the request comprises a unique client identifier and authentication information, and wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a pass phrase and a digital certificate, wherein the server performs a verification process on the authentication information to authenticate the request, and wherein the privileged address is a static internet protocol address in a set of privileged addresses stored in a memory of a data processing system, and wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a pass phrase and a digital certificate; receive an offer, wherein the offer comprises a privileged address and authentication information; determine whether the offer is authentic; and accept the offer responsive to determining that the offer is authentic.

11. A computer program product stored in a computer readable storage medium storing executable instructions to be executed by a processor for providing addresses to clients when executed by a data processing system, the computer program product comprising: instructions for receiving a request from a client for an address, wherein the request comprises a unique client identifier and authentication information, and wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a pass phrase and a digital certificate; instructions for determining whether the authentication information is present in the request; instructions for performing a verification process on the authentication information to authenticate the request responsive to determining that the authentication information is present in the request; instructions for checking a privileged address table to determine whether an privileged address is assigned to the client, responsive to authenticating the request, wherein the privileged address is a static internet protocol address in a pool of privileged addresses stored in a memory of the data processing system; instructions for assigning the previously assigned privileged address to the client and sending an offer to the client, responsive to determining that the privileged address is assigned to the client forming a previously assigned privileged address, wherein the offer comprises the previously assigned privileged address and the authentication information; and instructions for assigning the privileged address from the pool of privileged addresses to the client and sending an offer to the client, responsive to determining that the privileged address is not assigned to the client forming an assigned privileged address, wherein the offer comprises the assigned privileged address and the authentication information.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , further comprising instructions for denying the request responsive to the authentication information being unverified.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 , further comprising instructions for providing a standard address to the client responsive to the authentication information being unauthenticated.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the previously assigned privileged address is identical to a previous privileged address that was previously provided to the client in response to a previously received request from the client.

15. A computer program product stored in a computer readable storage medium storing executable instructions to be executed by a processor in a data processing system for assigning addresses to clients when executed by the data processing system, said computer program product comprising: instructions for sending a request for a privileged address to a server from a client, wherein the request comprises a unique client identifier and authentication information, and wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a pass phrase and a digital certificate, wherein the server performs a verification process on the authentication information to authenticate the request, and wherein the privileged address is a static a internet protocol address in a set of privileged addresses stored in a memory of a data processing system and wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a pass phrase and a digital certificate; instructions for receiving an offer, wherein the offer comprises a privileged address and authentication information; instructions for determining whether the offer is authentic; and instructions for accepting the offer, responsive to determining that the offer is authentic.

16. A data processing system for providing addresses to clients, the data processing system comprising: a bus system; a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; a communications adaptor connected to the bus system; and a processor unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processor unit executes the set of instructions to receive a request from a client for an address, wherein the request comprises a unique client identifier and authentication information, and wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a pass phrase and a digital certificate; determine whether the authentication information is present in the request; perform a verification process on the authentication information to authenticate the request, responsive to determining that the authentication information is present in the request; check a privileged address table to determine whether a privileged address is assigned to the client, responsive to authenticating the request, wherein the privileged address is a static internet protocol address in a pool of privileged addresses stored in a memory of a data processing system; assign the previously assigned privileged address to the client to form a previously assigned privileged address and sending an offer to the client, responsive to determining that the privileged address is assigned to the client, wherein the offer comprises the previously assigned privileged address and the authentication information; and assign the privileged address, from the pool of privileged addresses to form an assigned privileged address, to the client and sending the offer to the client, responsive to determining that the privileged address is not assigned to the client, wherein the offer comprises the privileged address and the authentication information.